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J. SUHMITT. KNITTING MACHINE. No. 421,526. Patented Feb. 18, 1890. v I

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J. SGHMITT.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 421,526. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

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(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. SGHMITT.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 421,526. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

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J. SGHMITT.

KNITTING MACHINE. v

No. 421,526. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

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J. SGHMITT.

KNITTING MACHINE.

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KNITTING .MAOHINE. No. 421,526. Patented Feb. 18,1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOl-IANN .SOHMITT, OF OOBLENZ, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JEAN B.OOBLENZER, OF SAME PLACE, AND CARL GUSTAV ROMMEN- HOLLER, OF ROTTERDAM,NETHERLANDS.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,526, dated February18, 1890.

Application filed May 12, 1887. Serial No. 238,02l. (N model.) Patentedin Germany April 18, 1886, No. 41,076, and November 26, 1886, No.41,271; in Belgium February 21, 1887, No. 76,436; in England February21, 1887, No. 2,648; in France February 21, 1887, No, 181,697,- inLuxemburg February 21] 1887, N0. 806; in Austria-Hungary February 21,1887, No. 28,694 and No. 56,778; in Sweden February 21, 1887,No- 1,246,and in Spain February 21, 1887, No. 10,653-

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHANN SoHMITr, a subject of the King of Prussia,German Emperor, residing at Ooblenz, in the German Empire, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Knitting-Machines, (for which Ihave received patents in Germany, No. 41,076, dated April 18, 1886, andNo. 41,271, dated November 26,1886; in Belgium,

No. 76,436, dated February 21,1887 5 in Great Britain, No. 2,648, datedFebruary 21, 1887 in France, No. 181,697, dated February '21, 1887; inLuxemburg, No. 806, dated February 21, 1887; in AustriaIIungary, No.28,694 and r5 No. 56,778, dated February 21, 1887; in Sweden, No. 1,246,dated February 21, 1887, and in Spain, No. 10,653, dated February 21,1887,) of which the following is a specification.

The invention described hereinafter relates to knitting-machines inwhich the knitted meshes are formed on and held by a rotating spiral.This rotating spiral has already been presented in the German PatentsNo. 14, August 5, 1877, and No. 11,402, Feb- 2 5 ruary 7, 1880, relatingto knitting-machines. The use of a needle or needles which catches orcatch up the meshes falling off the-one end of the spiral, and whichneedle hangs new meshes onto the other end of the spiral, is

0 likewise known. In this case I have presented improvements by which itis possible not only to knit tubular work in the common way, but to knitflat surfaces by means of one and the same machine.

5 The improvements consist in the construction of the machine with anoscillating needle which is displaoeable and movable in such a mannerthat the two difterent courses which may be described or traveled overby it in 40 cline from opposite directions to a plane which must beconsidered as laid through the axis of the bent spiral.

The improvements further relate to the construction of the spiralitself, and in this 5 respect consist in giving it a certaincrosssectional shape for the purpose of conducting the meshes moresurely over the joints between the main body and the adjustable ends ofthe spiral than heretofore.

For giving a better understanding of my invention I will first describethe well-known principle on which knitting-machines of the class towhich my present invention belongs are based.

The spiral of the machine is made to re- 5 volve by means of somesuitable mechanism, whereby the two ends of the spiral s s are turned incontrary directions, as may be well understood by looking at Figure VIof the accompanying drawings. If now a common piece of knitting issuspended to the spiral, so that each coil or bow of the spiral holds amesh of the knitted fabric, and if the spiral is made to rotate, (noalteration in the position of'the axles of the spiral takes place whenrevolving,) the mesh on the last bow of the spiral end 8' will be movedforward toward the needle 02 and will finally fall off from the spiralend 8. The needle n, threaded with yarn, is under the spiral end 8' atthe moment in which the mesh falls off, and said needle'n receives andtakes up said mesh. During the ensuing forward motion of needle n to theleft the mesh, which, owing to its connection with the followingmeshes,is kept nearly in its old 7 5 position on the right, will slidealong the needle until its position is that of mesh 0 in Fig. VI. Needleat now occupies the position within the mesh 0 in which it isrepresented in Fig. VI, and its yarn, coming directly fronr theyarn-spool, forms a loop 00 00 03 which will be caught by the point ofthe spiral end 5 rotating in the direction of the arrows. Thus a newmeshis formed, and as the spiral keeps on revolving in the directionindicated new meshes will be continuously strung up on end 5 by means ofthe needle, and old meshes will fall off the end sthat is to say, meshes1 2 3, and so forth, must move toward the needle and approach thelatter, 0 whereas the meshes 15 14 13, and so on, will recede from theneedle and from spiral end .9 These movements of the needle, of theknitting, and of the spiral willbecome clearer by looking at Figs. VIIto XIV, which show the different positions of the parts referred to.

The formation of the mesh begins in Figs. XI and XII, which are a topand a side view, respectively, of the parts mentioned, they showingneedle a as it commences to move forward and passes beneath the last bowof the spiral end 3. In Figs. XIII and XIV the needle has advanced closeunder the spiral end 8'. By the rotation of the spiral the mesh 0 hasapproached nearer the end 5, and hangs now down from the last bow of thespiral end 3, and needle 1?. has entered the mesh 0.

5y the further revolution of the spiral mesh 0 will fall down from end5', (see Figs. VII and VIII,) and will be held by needle 01 only, whichhas advanced till to the soul or center of spiral end .9 and till itsyarn has formed loop a." 00 00 as has been already told. Figs. IX and Xshow the new mesh 50' x 00 strung up to the end 5 after needle or hasreceded. At the same time the old mesh 0, which has been held till thenby the needle, is nowborne by the newly-formed mesh 27; x The formationof a correct knitting-mesh is then concluded, and that of new mesheswill keep on as long as the spiral is revolving and the needlereciprocating.

In the formation of meshes just described it was presumed that theneedle came from the right and advanced under the spiral end 8 towardend .9 and it was further presumed that the spiral rotated in thedirection as indicated by the arrows in Figs. VI to XIV; but let it besupposed now that the spiral is moved in a direction contrary to thatdescribed above, and that the needle advances from the left to theright-that is, from s to 3. Then the needle takes off meshes from s andhangs new meshes onto .9, as can be plainly understood without givingfurther details.

. Having thus explained the principle on which knitting-machines withspirals operate, I shall now proceed to describe my new improvements insuch machines. These improvements are shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar partsthroughout the several views, and in which drawings- Fig. I is a frontelevation of the machine, needle 7t being arranged in such a manner thatit may take oif the meshes from the left spiral end 3 and hang them upon the right spiral end 3'. Fig. II shows afront elevation of themachine, needle n being arranged in a position the opposite of thatshown in Fig. I, which position of the needle is also that of all otherviews of the drawings, excepting Fig. I. Fig. III is a plan of themachine, parts of the frame-work being removed. Fig. IV represents asection on line I q of Fig. II. Fig. V is a section on line B S of Fig.IV. Fig. VI shows the spiral with the knitting. Figs. VII to XIV are topor side views of the spiral ends and the needle, illustrating thedifferent positions of these parts when working or operating themachine. Fig. XV is a front elevation of the bearings or guides for thespiral. Fig. XVI shows a section on line M N of Fig. XV. Figs. XVII andXVIII show the form of the spiral with regard to its cross-sectionalform. Fig. XIX shows amodification of the form. Fig. XX illustrates thetwo spiral parts of Figs. XVII and XVIII when shoved one in the other.Fig. XXI shows these spirals lying close together. Fig. XXII illustratesanother modification of the form of the spirals, and Fig. XXIII showsthe manner in which the needle is fastened to its shaft. Fig. XXIV showsin plan view the manner in which the two spirals fit to each other, thespiral g fitting into the spiral g. Fig. XXV is a detail view of theoutside spiral g and its ribs, while Fig. XXVI is a detail view of theinside spiral g and its ribs. Figs. XXVII and XXVIII are crosssectionsof the spirals, illustrating the manner in which the meshes pass overthe points of the spirals and how the ribs protect the meshes from beingcaught by the points of the spirals.

The machine is shown as it will be constructed in practice only in Fig.III. All the other views of the machine show the spiral with its ends inthe same plane or substantially in parallel planes; but this is only toenable me to show the sectional views more clearly and to compare thelatter more easily with the other views. I also had to shorten themachine in Figs. IV and V for want of room.

d is a bearing on the frame A for the driving-shaft cl. On shaft d ismounted a beveled wheel .2 which is turned by means of the crank-handle7t. lVheel gears into bevel-wheel 2' which is mounted on shaft o". Onshaft t and behind the toothed wheel .2 another toothed wheel .2 iswedged up, which gears into wheel .2 on shaft 10" on this said wheel .2,having pivoted to a crank-pin on its outer side the connecting-rod .2,connected with lever .2 which is fastened to shaft a, the latter shaftbeing mounted above and to the right of shafts 1;" 10. By the rotationof wheels e z and by means of the connecting-rod e an oscillatingmotionof shaft Ct is caused: As needle n can be fixed to the front end ofshaft to (see Fig. XXVI) an oscillating motion of the needle is effectedby the gearing just described, needle 01. being caused to make oneforward and one backward motion duringone revolution of shafts w o. Onerevolution of the shafts 10 o" produces one revolution of the bentspiral s, and therefore one turn of the spiral takes place in the sametime in which a double oscillation of the needle n is accomplished.

The motion of the spiral s is caused by the following mechanisms: Shaftsw and e have each a toothed drum or box to e, which rotate with theirshafts. (See Figs. I and V.)

On these drums rests the bent spiral s, which is kept in position byrollers 10 10 42 c as can be seen in Figs. I to V and XV, and whichrollers are journaled on the frame A of the machine. Teeth 1' on thedrums or boxes pass into the perforations 1' of spiral s, as is shown inFigs. V, XV, and XVI, andseen in Fig. Vthat is, contrary to that of theholes or the angle of the spiral.

, In the same manner in which the needleshaft dis made to oscillate bythe parts marked a 2 z z 2 .2 an oscillating motion is given to shaft1), located below and to the right of shafts 12 10. On the rotatingshaft t is for this purpose fixed an eccentric e, which is connectedthrough a strap 6 with a lever e on shaft Z). Needle at, when desired,may be mounted in the same way on shaft b as on shaft a. The means ofsecuring the needle in place on either shaft can be best seen in Fig.XXIII of the accompanying drawings. The shafta or b has on its end asquare part a, fitting in the square opening a of the needle n, which issecured on the same by a nut screwed on the threaded part a The way inwhich the machine operates is as follows: When the needle 01 is mountedon shaft a and the machine is put into operation the needle n oscillatesunder the spiral end 8 and takes the mesh from off the latter, while theneedle hangs up a new mesh on spiral end 8 and the knitting is moved ina circle from s to 3 If the needle is mounted on shaft 6 and the machineis turned in opposite direction, the meshes are hung up on spiral end 8,(see Fig. 1;) but in both cases a continuous hose, is made if themachine is worked continually with the needle in one of its positions.If it is desired to knit a surface or flat piece onto the knitting (forexample, to the leg or hose of a stocking) without lengthening the wholeknitting, so many meshes as the surface has to have in breadth must beknitted alternately with the needle in position as in Fig. II, andalternately with the needle in position Fig. I, whereby the rotatorydirection of the spiral must be changed accordingly. The knitting willtherefore be moved to and fro within the breadth of the surface that isbeing knitted on, and the result will be a surface formation of meshesor an open knitting. The needle 12 need not be unthreaded and rethreadedfor this operation, only its position to the spiral must be altered bydisplacing it on the respective axles by ninety degrees. In bothpositions the needle moves in such a way that it passes the outside ofthe next spiral end until it stands before the center of the otherspiral end. By these likemotions of the needle in both positions exactmeshes are formed on either of the spiral ends. The motion of theneedle-axles a b is communicated from the axles t 10, and as these axles'0 10 also produce the rotary mot-ion of the spiral ends 8 s by means ofthe gearing-rollers w c the oscillation of the needle is in such arelation to the rotatory motion of the spirals that each rotation of thespirals and each dropping of a mesh corresponds with one forward and onebackward motion of the needle, or, in other words, with the taking up ofthe old mesh and the hanging up of a new mesh. The meshes hang down likea hose and are taken up inside the ring y, Fig. II, which is arrangedhorizontally, fixed to the frame of the machine. To the lower end of theknitted hose is suspended a weight for the purpose of drawing down thenew-formed meshes.

If I should construct my machine in such a manner that the ends of thespiral run in par-.

allel planes, as in Fig. IV, (but which figure I have only drawn in thisway for the reasons stated above in the description of the figu res,)the distance between the two ends 5 s of the spiral would be too great,for the needle could not pass both ends at the proper points, and wouldthus fail to catch or fail to hang up the meshes. I therefore employthese two spirals, which incline to each other at an angle of thirtydegrees, and the ends of which come pretty close together.

Another improvement of this knitting-machine consists in the arrangementof mechanisms by which the machine can be made to knit closer or looser.The improvements c011- sist in the application of two adjusting contrivances to the two spiral ends 8 5 which latter incline to each other,as mentioned above and as shown in Fig. III. It will be evident withoutfurther explanation that if the two spiral ends which incline towardeach other are drawn forward axially they will approach each other,owing to their inclined arrangement. The distance between the two spiralends 8 s will become smaller, and closer meshes than usual can be madewith the spiral ends in this new position, because the distance that themeshes have to travel between the two spiral ends is shorter than whenthe latter are in their usual position. The needle must of course bemoved forward in the same way on the axle a or b, so as to suit thedisplacement of the spiral ends and so as to be in its proper position.The displacing is done in the simplest way by altering its position onthe axle a or b, on whichever it may be at the time. For this purpose anumber of washers a (see Fig. XXIII) are used, which have squareopenings corresponding to the square parts of the shafts, and whichwashers are shoved on the square part of the shaft a or I), eitherbefore or behind or partly before and partly behind the needle'n,according as the case may be. (See positions a B of Fig. XXIII.) Theshaft to is oscillated,

as may be seen by reference to Figs. II and III,

by the lever .2 which is operated by a rod e connected eccentrieally tothe wheel .2, while the shaft 11 is oscillated by a lever 0 which isoperated by an eccentric e and eccentric-rod e, the eccentric 6 beingfastened to the shaft '0 The shifting or displacing of the spiral endsmust, however, be carried out by a special mechanism, which is shown inFig. XV in cross-section and in Fig. XVI in a front view. These twofigures show that the actual transporting-rollers o and w, which makethe spiral ends rotate by means of their teeth 41, are fixed to therespective axles 17 and 10 and are coupled to these axles by a specialmechanism. The arrangement of the two axles o and 10 is the same. Theaxles 12 and 20 have such a screw-thread, on which is a disk or plate 0,provided with notches 0 This disk or plate 0 can be held fast in anyposition by the lock-nut c, Fig. XVI. On the right-hand side of Fig. XVthe lock-nut c and the disk 0 are removed from shaft t The toothedrollers o w have each aspring-actuated catch it, which engages one ofthe notches o of the disk 0'. By means of this catch 7.: the toothedrollers r or w are firmly connected with the axles 11 10, and are thussecured from being displaced longitudinally or being turned round theaxle. The longitudinal displacement of e or w is prevented by the catch7.; being U-shaped and by its reaching over the disk 0. If after easingup the lock-nut c the disk 0 is moved, or rather turned, further towardthe end of the axle c or 10, the catch 7.;, with the roller e or 20,must necessarily follow, and the catch 7c, after having caught again inone of the notches 0 holds the roller fast in the new position; buttherollers o w gear with their teeth into the perforation of the spirals,and consequently the latter are likewise forced to move in the samedirection. Both ends of the spiral may be moved by this adjustingcontrivance, and the inclined spiral ends are brought as close togethcras may be desirable.

Another improvement in this knitting-machine consists in the form of thespiral when viewed in cross-section. (See Figs. XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX,XXI, and XXII.)

The working of the machine is as follows: Suppose a piece of commonknitted ware to be on the spring, as shown in Fig. V, in such a mannerthat each coil of the spring passes through a mesh, so when the springis revolved its length remains the same, but the mesh 1 is moved forwardtoward the needle 91, and at last falls off the point 3' of the spiral.If at this moment the needle 71, in which the knitting-yarn is threaded,is opposite the point 8', the mesh 1 is caught by the needle 0%, and bythe motion of the same toward the left the mesh 2 is drawn off thespring and in the same manner is caught by the needle 01 as the mesh 2is to be seen in the drawings.

.36 shows the free end of the knitting-yarn as it comes from the reel.As to be seen,the motion of the needle itself forms a loop 0;

against the turns of each other, the

$ 00 in which the end .9 of the spring catches, and the loop w 00 so" iswound onto the spiral as a finished mesh. This is the manner in whichthe single meshes are formed. By the rotation of the spiral in thedirection of the arrow new-formed meshes are caught up by the end 5 andold meshes fall off the end 5-. It is necessary that during the motionof the needle once backward and forward the spiral must make onecomplete revolution roundits axis; It has been proved that the smallerspiral often springs out of the larger, and

that the ends of the spirals do not lie close consequence of which wasthat either the meshes were broken or got in between the two spirals andprevented the knitting from being transported. In order to prevent this,the spirals are made from ribbed wire, andso made that the ribs of thesmaller or inside spiral are on the outside and those of the larger oroutside spiral are on the inside, the ribs of the one fitting againstthe ribs of the other. In addition to this, the ends of the two spiralsare beveled off and are protected orcovered by the ribs or" the oppositespiral, and thus prevented from springing out. As to be seen by Fig. XX,the point a: of the inside spiral is protected by the ribs of theoutside spiral q, and the point x of the outside spiral is protected bythe ribs of the inside spiral q. By this arrangement the springs areprevented from springing away from each other and the yarn at the sametime prevented from getting between the turns of the two spirals.

The form of the spiralsthat is,when viewed in section-may be modified.Figs. XVII, XVIII, XX, and XXI represent all the same form. Fig. XIXshows one of the modifications, and Fig. XXII another one, in whichlatter case the spirals are provided with two ribs and two grooves, andthis construction of the spirals I prefer before all others, as the spi*als are most firmly locked into each other and are very lastin In thedetail drawings (Figs. XXIV to XXV III) of the knitting-spiral, 9represents the smaller one or inner spiral, which is fitted with ribs011 its outside, while g represents the largeror outside spiral, whichis fitted with ribs on its inside. The spiral g screws into the spiralg, the ribs of the inner spiral catching in the ribs of the outer spiraland preventing the two spirals from flying asunder as they are revolved.The ends of both spirals are tapered off, as shown at a: a," in Figs.XXIV to XXVIII. I

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be per formed, I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A bent spiral .9, tworollers 21, w, having teeth 2', which enter perforations of said spirals, and means for rotating said rollers in opposite directions, incombination with a needle n, shafts a and b, to which said needle may befixed alternately, and means for oscillating the shafts, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of shafts a and b, a needle n, which may be securedto either of said shafts, a rotating shaft 11, provided with wheel a andan eccentric e, a rotating shaft 10, provided with a similar wheel 2, aconnecting-rod z, crank c on shaft a, crank 6 eccentric-strap e, andmeans for rotating shaft 12, with the bent spiral and means for rotatingthe same from shafts 0 10, all as and for the purpose substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination of a, bent spiral provided with perforations with twoaxles 0 and 10, arranged parallel to the ends of said spiral andprovided with screw-threads 011 their ends and with rollers or collars 010 near their ends, the collars being provided with teeth 2' andspring-actuated catches 7c,

lock-nuts c, screwed on said screw-threaded ends of shafts 0 10, anddisks 0, provided with notches 0 in which the catches 70 engage, formoving the spirals forward and backward and securing the same in anyposition, substantially in the manner and for the purpose as described.

4. A spiral g, provided with ribs on its outside surface and terminatingin a point a: at one end, in combination with another spiral 9, providedwith ribs on its inner surface and terminating in a point :0 at one end,the said two spirals being shoved in each other, in the manner and forthe purpose substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHANN SOHMI'IT.

WVitnesses:

O. MtiHLNER, B. ROI.

